Multisize glove

ABSTRACT

A multisize glove which may be worn by persons having different hand sizes. The glove is made, at least partly, of polymeric material. The gauntlet and the back side of the glove body are provided with a substantially continuous series of longitudinal adjacent sinusoidal preshaped corrugations which are formed as alternate protrusions and depressions. The corrugations are oriented in the direction which is substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the glove. Each finger stall has at least one corrugation extending therealong.

United [72] Inventors Maurice Pordes Paris; Andre Veber, Drancy, both of, Franc 21 Appl. No. 807,767 [22] Filed Mar. 13, 1969 [45] Patented Aug. 31, 1971 [73] Assignee Maps-F it Les Liens, France [32] Priority Mar. 12, 1968 [3 3] France [31 143,400

[54) MULTISIZE GLOVE 5 Claims, 11 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S.Cl 2/167 [51] Int. Cl A41d 19/00 [50] Field oiSearch 2/158-161, 167-1 69 [5 6] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 692,703 2/1902 Pfeiffer..... 2/168 2,335,871 12/1943 Milligan 7 2/168 10/1962 O'Brien et a1 2/167 3,197,786 8/1965 Velonis et al. 2/167 1,206,102 ll/l9l6 Gibson 2/168 3,268,647 8/1966 Hayes et a1. 264/303 3,283,338 11/1966 Landau 2/161 FOREIGN PATENTS 1,175,870 11/1958 France 2/168 1,435,532 3/1966 France 2/168 1,508,320 11/1967 France 2/168 Primary Examiner.lordan Franklin Assistant ExaminerGeo. V. Larkin Att0rneyCraig, Antonelli, Stewart & Hill PATENTEI] AUBSI IBYI 3,601,816

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INVENTOR5 ul M 2. ow-d r; VQ b% ATTORNEYS MULTISIZE GLOVE This invention relates to a new type of glove called multisize glove, which glove may be manufactured in a single size and may be used in place of a glove of different sizes within a wide range of sizes.

The different measurements of the hands of the wearers, Such as the length and the periphery of the fingers, the periphery of the palm, that of the wrist and other measurements are not in a constant ratio with respect to each other.

Accordingly it is necessary to define, when manufacturing protection gloves, a limited number of categories or sizes whose characteristics are based only on one or two basic measurements such for instance as the periphery of the palm and the distance from the wrist to the tip of the fingers.

As a consequence such gloves do not fit well on every wearer's hand.

It is therefore an object of this invention to provide gloves which fit any hand well having the same, that is one or two, basic measurements and which may differ substantially from each other with respect to the other measurements.

It is a further object of this invention to provide a simplification in the manufacture of gloves by making possible the substitution of the manufacture of gloves of a single size for the manufacture of categories of different size gloves.

The resulting advantages are very significant, particularly due to the fact that it is now possible to avoid the situation of having unsold gloves of some specific sizes which result from the fact that the manufactured articles can not be exactly adapted to the size distribution between the different wearers. Furthermore the manufacture of gloves of a single size makes mass-production possible under maximum automatization conditions, the use of a single packing, the simplification in the writing of orders and in the organization of the sales, and rendering any selection by the buyer needless.

These advantages are obtained according to this invention by gloves provided both on the gauntlet and the finger stalls with preshaped undulations or corrugations consisting of al.- ternate longitudinal protrusions and depressions of any geometrical profile.

In order to maintain such a preshape during the period use, the glove must be made of a material at least a portion of which is a synthetic polymeric or elastic material, or natural or synthetic rubber elastomer.

Moreover these preshaped corrugations are advantageously oriented along at least two different directions in order to provide for both the widening and the lengthening of the glove.

It is not necessary, however, that these directions be respectively parallel or perpendicular to the longitudinal axis of the glove. Each may be inclined differently with respect to the longitudinal axis of the glove.

The present invention is essentially characterized in that the preshaped corrugations may be easily stretched whereby the glove can be worn on a hand of a greater size, while still tending to come back to its initial shape, so that it fits well the hand on which it is worn. This fitting does not result in any strain for the wearer, whereas, when the stretching of the glove, so as to fit to a hand of greater size, results from the elastic lengthening of a rubber, the wearer must not only exert a substantial effort to slip on the glove but also undergoes a considerable discomfort resulting from the pressing of the glove against the hand. In such a case the glove, in addition, loses its bending strength.

The corrugations of the glove wall being both internal and external, provide for a good circulation of air around the hand inside the glove and also enhance its bending strength.

The gloves according to the invention are characterized by a wall provided with preshaped corrugations and formed at least partly of polymeric or elastic material. The gloves may be worn advantageously for numerous different uses and particularly as house gloves, surgical gloves, gloves for electricians, gloves for industrial hard work, and for farm work. The gloves may be used as lined gloves or gloves internally reinforced with fabric of the type of woven material. They can, be matched, i.e. adapted respectively by pairs, one for the right hand and one for the left hand, or a common type adaptable indifferently to both hands. I

The invention will be explained more in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings which illustrate various nonlimitative embodiments, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is an elevation view of a part of the gauntlet of a glove according to the invention and FIG. 1A is a cross section along line I-I of FIG. I.

FIGS. 2 and 2A illustrate two different embodiments wherein longitudinal corrugations are provided along two different sides on the glove body, that is palm side and back side.

FIG. 3 illustrates transversal corrugations on the finger stalls along a direction substantially perpendicular to their longitudinal axis.

FIG. 3A illustrates transversal corrugations of the same type on the gauntlet.

FIG. 4 shows corrugations on the external face of the thumb stall in extension of the gauntlet corrugations.

FIGS. 5 and 6 show various types of corrugations having different geometrical shapes, which may correspond to different sections of the same gauntlet, optionally in alternation with corrugation-free portions.

FIG. 7 illustrates the case where the corrugations are of varying amplitude from one place of the glove to another, this amplitude being smaller at the region of the finger stalls than at the region of the gauntlet, and

FIG. 8 illustrates a glove according to the invention of a mixed structure wherein the wall is made of a fabric, preshaped with corrugations and stiffened, coated with a film of natural or synthetic elastomer or polymeric material.

FIG. 9 illustrates a finger stall provided with helical corrugations inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the stall.

Generally, the corrugations do not result in any extra thickness of the glove wall. The thickness of the corrugated wall is substantially uniform, thereby providing for a uniform expansibility by stretching when the glove is slipped on. Such corrugations are thus quite different from superimposed ridges which do not result in the expansibility of the glove wall.

Provided the internal and external faces of the corrugations are parallel, these corrugations may exhibit different profiles such as semicircular, square, rectangular, triangular, trapezoidal, partly elliptical in section etc..., provided that their internal and external faces exhibit alternate protrusions and depressions.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 1A, the size range within which the glove may be used is between the size corresponding to the internal volume inscribed in the glove wall when the corrugations are unstretched, i.e. have their original shape, and the size corresponding to the volume inscribed in the glove wall when the corrugations are in a position of maximum stretching, without elastic elongation of the material of which is made the glove wall.

Thus, in the case of FIG. 1, showing a cross section of a gauntlet of a glove according to the invention, the minimum size corresponds to the dashed circumference of radius R and the maximum size to the circumference of radius R, defined by R =Pl2rr wherein P is the perimeter of the gauntlet, i.e. the length of the sinusoidal line which represents in cross section the periphery of the glove wall. Within the range defined by the extreme sizes, the higher the wearer's glove size, the more the corrugations are stretched, without however requiring any effort from the wearer.

It is not necessary to provide each portion of the glove, that is gauntlet, palm side, back side and finger stalls, with corrugations over their whole width or length.

Thus the gauntlet corrugations may be limited to the cuff part where they may be oriented longitudinally along the direction of the longitudinal axis of the glove, or transversally as shown in FIG. 3A.

In order to confer to the glove the same extensibility at the region of the palm than at the region of the gauntlet there may be provided a greater number of corrugations at the region of the palm by means of supplemental corrugations in the central zone thereof either with the same orientation as those of the gauntlet, or joining in V-shape, whereas the gauntlet corrugations extend in a parallel direction with said central corrugations on either side of the latter as in the case of FIG. 2A.

It would be also possible to keep unchanged the number of corrugations and to give them greater amplitude at the region of the palm.

FIGS. 3 and 3A illustrate transversal corrugations providing for the stretching in length of the finger stalls and the gauntlet respectively, these corrugations being present only at determined locations (portions corresponding to the finger joints and the wrist for instance), the intervals between these transversal corrugations being advantageously provided with longitudinal corrugations securing the extensibility in width.

Of course, when the desired size range is not very wide, the corrugations can be limited to a small number provided on only one point of the width and/or length of the glove, as shown in FIG. 8, which furthermore illustrates on embodiment of glove made of mixed material consisting of preshaped and stiffened fabric T coated with a film F of polymeric material or elastomer.

Inasmuch as the finger stalls are concerned it is preferred to provide the same with longitudinal corrugations evenly distributed around their periphery, whereby distortion strains which may otherwise occur can be avoided.

lt must be mentioned, finally, that according to an advantageous embodiment of the invention the extensibility both in width and in length, particularly of the finger stalls and the gauntlet, may be achieved by use of corrugations inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis of the glove and extending helically and/or spirally.

The angle of inclination of the helix with respect to the axis of the element or glove part is dependent on the desired respective extensibilities in length and width of this element.

By way of example, FIG. 9 illustrates a finger stall provided with helical corrugations H, inclined with respect to the longitudinal axis XX of the stall. These helical corrugations may optionally end, at the stall tip, in a spiral.

It is understood that the greater the inclination of the helix with respect to the axis, the greater the lengthening ability as compared to the widening one.

Corrugations in helix or in spiral may as well be provided on the gauntlet as on the finger stalls and even on the glove body at the palm side and at the back side.

What we claim as this invention is:

l. Glove adapted to be worn by persons having different hand sizes made of, at least partly, polymeric material adapted to be preshaped and having a gauntlet portion, wherein the gauntlet portion and the back of the glove are provided with adjacent continuous sinusoidal preshaped corrugations formed as alternate protrusions and depressions oriented along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the glove, and at least one corrugation extending along each of the finger stalls of the glove.

2. Glove according to claim 1, wherein the corrugations on the gauntlet portion have an extended part on the palm side and said back of the glove along two different directions.

3. Glove according to claim 2, wherein the intervals between the extended part of the corrugations of the gauntlet portion on the palm side and said back of the glove are provided with additional corrugations having substantially a direction, at least partially, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the glove.

4. Glove according to claim 2, wherein the intervals between the extended part of the corrugations of the gauntlet portion on the palm side and said back of the glove are provided with additional corrugations joining substantially in a V- shape.

5. Glove according to claim 1, wherein the corrugations vary in amplitude over the length thereof. 

1. Glove adapted to be worn by persons having different hand sizes made of, at least partly, polymeric material adapted to be preshaped and having a gauntlet portion, wherein the gauntlet portion and the back of the glove are provided with adjacent continuous sinusoidal preshaped corrugations formed as alternate protrusions and depressions oriented along a direction substantially parallel to the longitudinal axis of the glove, and at least one corrugation extending along each of the finger stalls of the glove.
 2. Glove according to claim 1, wherein the corrugations on the gauntlet portion have an extended part on the palm side and said back of the glove along two different directions.
 3. Glove according to claim 2, wherein the intervals between the extended part of the corrugations of the gauntlet portion on the palm side and said back of the glove are provided with additional corrugations having substantially a direction, at least partially, parallel to the longitudinal axis of the glove.
 4. Glove according to claim 2, wherein the intervals between the extended part of the corrugations of the gauntlet portion on the palm side and said back of the glove are provided with additional corrugations joining substantially in a V-shape.
 5. Glove according to claim 1, wherein the corrugations vary in amplitude over the length thereof. 